This invention relates to a vehicle dynamic control system, which carries out vehicle dynamic control according to road data recognized thereby.
Currently developed are a variety of vehicle dynamic control techniques, utilizing a navigator or the like. Vehicle dynamic controls, such as warning control, deceleration control and so on, are carried out according to road data of the route in front of the vehicle, which are obtained by processing road map data inputted from the navigator.
In order to carry out such vehicle dynamic controls properly, it is required to accurately detect road data relating to the actual road in front of the vehicle. But road data fidelity can not be guaranteed when detecting road data by processing road map data from the navigator only.
Other technology, as disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 287395/1996, is presented, wherein cameras are installed for determining a road pattern, which is then transformed into road data. The road pattern is determined by projecting and transforming images taken by cameras, which are corrected by road inclination angle and radius curvature data, inputted from the navigator. Then, according to the road data, vehicle dynamic control is carried out.
Image data detected by sensors such as cameras are, however, subject to limitations due to weather and vehicle running conditions. Therefore, the system disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 287395/1996 may become remarkably degraded in its ability to, or can not, obtain precise road data, when the image data suddenly change depending on weather and vehicle running conditions.
In such a case, road data become discontinuous, bringing about difficulties in vehicle dynamic control, so that smooth control can not be carried out, resulting in not only an uncomfortable feeling for a driver, but also a risk due to strained control.